Justice Ramon Oshodi has been sentenced by Dogun to two years imprisonment at the Kirikiri jail, following his plea bargain to an amended charge of impersonation.
“I have heard you and your attorney’s argument, but I do not accept that you are guilty,” Justice Oshodi remarked.”
“The only reason I am inclined to grant non-custodial is that I can tell you are regretful. I hereby impose a two-year prison term on you.”
However, Oshodi ruled that the prisoner must finish their sentence or pay an N3 million fine. The convict’s laptop and his three other phones, which were taken from him during the trial, were also ordered by the judge to be forfeited to the federal government.
Dogun had previously been charged with two counts of possessing a counterfeit document and impersonation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, to which he had entered a not-guilty plea.
During the trial, Mr. Audu Damua, the attorney for the EFCC, summoned one witness, and the prosecution rested its case.
When the case was summoned on Monday for the defendant to provide his defense, he altered his plea.
The defendant identified himself as one Gabby Mcquire, and his victim’s name was Catherine Meg, according to the prosecution’s analysis of the circumstances.
Nevertheless, he admitted that he had retrieved from Google the images of a military commander and sent friend requests to numerous white ladies.
The defendant pleaded for forgiveness and told the judge that he had made a mistake and was sorry for what he had done.
He said: “I am sorry for my wrongdoing my lord, I studied International Relations as an undergraduate and I have a Masters’s degree in psychology. I used to work, but I was fired because of the mess I made for myself.”
“I committed a serious error, and I regret it. I’ve spent some time in prison, and there are many lessons I’ve taken away from it.”
Again, he added that his wife is heavily pregnant, and is married two years ago. Due to budgetary limitations, she was unable to attend court today.
“My lord, I’m sorry. I’ve turned a new leaf, so please take mercy on me.”
In his allocution, Mr. Nathaniel Ojobo, the defendant’s defense attorney, also asked the court to impose a non-custodial sentence on the defendant because he was a first-time offender.
“As a prodigal son, we are here before your lordship to provide him another chance,” Ojobo added.”
Even his unborn child will feel ashamed that his father is involved in this crime after spending more than four months in jail. We ask the court to balance kindness and justice.
Nonetheless, the prosecution requested that the Federal Government be granted forfeiture of the exhibits shown during the trial. The offense violated Section 380 of the Lagos State Criminal Code of 2015, according to the EFCC counsel.
Source: Vanguard
